Snow disposal apparatus



J, GONT'C'HARUK SNOW Sept 29, 1964 DISPOSAL APPARATUS Filed lap TNVENTOR. Jose/ w 604/ TCHHR UK United States Patent 3,150,660 SNOW DISPOSAL APPARATUS Joseph Gontcharuk, New York, NY. (1664 Norman St., Brooklyn, N.Y.) Filed Apr. 2, 1962, Ser. No. 184,139 7 Claims. (Cl. 126-343.5)

The present invention relates to a snow disposal apparatus, of a type which is particularly adapted for use in cleaning streets, roads, and other large, heavy-traflic areas and which disposes of the snow by melting the same at the place of removal and disposes of the resulting water, thereby avoiding the need heretofore met of transporting the snow removed from the ground to a distant point for disposal.

It is an object of the present invention to provide snow disposal apparatus of the character described which may be completely and fully self-contained and is, yet, relatively compact.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide snow disposal apparatus of the character described which is fully mobile and may be readily and easily moved from place to place, as required.

It is another object of the present invention to provide snow disposal apparatus of the character described which, while compact, is highly eflicient and rapid in its operation.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide snow disposal apparatus of the character described which disposes of snow at relatively great economy, both in time and in labor and in the consumption of snowmelting energy and material.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide snow disposal apparatus of the character described which is of relatively simple construction and, therefore, economical to produce, and which is sturdy and requires a minimum of maintenance.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the snow disposal apparatus of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawings and from the description following. It is to be understood, however, that such embodiment is shown by way of illustration only, to make the principles and practice of the invention more readily comprehensible, and without any intent of limiting the invention to the specific details therein shown.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a more or less schematic, side-elevational view, partly in section, of a fully self-contained and automotive snow disposal apparatus embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, more or less schematic side elevational view of the snow melting chamber of the apparatus of FIG. 1; partly in section, to disclose details of a structure and operation;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the apparatus, taken along the plane of line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a section taken on line 55 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 2'.

Generally stated, the invention consists in the provision of a horizontally elongated, closed chamber having heat supplying means at one end, snow admitting means at its other and means for advancing snow from the admitting end of the chamber in the direction of the heat supplying end thereof, where the snow is melted to water; means being supplied for thoroughly mixing the advanced snow with the already melted snow and with the heating medium supplied, to thereby cause and accelerate the rate 3,150,650 Patented Sept. 29., 1964 of melting; the chamber being also provided with outflow means for the resulting water.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the chamber is mounted on a mobile, wheel-supported body which is provided with automotive means or which is attachable to automotive means, and carries its own means for producing and directing snow-melting heat to the interior of the chamber.

More specifically stated, and with reference to the specific embodiment of the invention more or less schematically shown in the accompanying drawings, the apparatus comprises a chamber consisting, preferably, of a horizontally disposed, axially elongated cylindrical tank 10, supported, as by blocks 12, on the bed of a vehicle 14, shown in the drawings to comprise a trailer connected to a wheeled tractor 16.

The tank 10 is provided at its forward end, in the top thereof, with an opening 18, wherethrough heating means or heating material may be supplied into the interior of the tank, which may be in the form of a heated, gaseous fluid, as heated air or steam, or may be a submerged heating unit introduced into the interior of the tank 10; such unit being of any conventional type, many of which are well known and readily available in the market, and not thought necessary to be specifically illustrated.

The top of the tank 10, at its rear end, is also provided with an opening 20, of relatively larger size, for the admission therethrough of snow removed from the ground, as through the outlet pipe 22, of a snow-removal apparatus, which may be of a screw-feed type or of a blower type or of any other conventional type, likewise not thought necessary to be specifically illustrated. Preferably, the opening 22 will be surrounded by a funnelshaped flange or hopper 24.

A shaft, 26, is axially disposed within the tank 10 and is journalled for rotation in the front and end walls thereof, 28 and 39, respectively, in water-tight relation thereto. The shaft 26 carries thereon, at the rear portion of the tank 10, below the snow admitting opening 22, snow advancing means, such as the screw blade, 32, and at its forward portion a plurality of spaced beater blades, 34, each of which may have mounted thereon a longitudinally extending vane, 36. The heaters 34 and their vanes 36 are disposed each opposite a space defined between transverse bailles, 38, disposed in the upper portion of the tank 10; the baflles 33 preferably terminating short of the top of the tank, to provide openings, 49, as one means for permitting the circulation of the heated gases through the snow melting chamber.

The tank 10 may be provided with access means, such as the opening, 42, at the bottom of its rear wall 30, which may be defined by a tube, 44, through which a suitable implement may be inserted into the tank interior to remove from the bottom thereof solid material that may have been discharged thereinto with the snow and settled on the bottom, such as cans, solid refuse, rubble, and the like. The end of the tube 44 may be provided with a water-tight closure, such as the hinged door, 46, il lustrated.

Outlet means for the water formed by the melted snow, in the form of one or more openings, such as 48, may be provided in the upper portion of the tank 10, preferably adjacent and above the snow-advancing screw 32, for the discharge of such water from the tank as it rises above the level of the screw. The opening 48 may be defined by an exteriorly-extending tube or pipe, 50, which will lead the discharged excess water to the ground or may be connected to a hose that may lead to a sewer or to a water storage space.

While the heat for melting the snow may be supplied by a submersible heater disposed Within the tank, as

3 stated above, it may generally be desirable to supply heat into the tank from the exterior thereof in the form of heated gaseous fluids, suchas steam, or heated air. In the last instance, air-heating means may be carried on the vehicle chassis supporting the tank 19, such as an oil-burning heater, 52, more or less schematically shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing. The heated air from such heater 52 is led by conduit, 54, into the tank through the opening 18. Where the air heater 52 is of the oilburning variety, a fuel tank therefor may be carried on the tank-supporting vehicle, as on the underside of the vehicle bed 12, as shown at 56.

The shaft 26 may be activated by rotation from the motor of the tractor 14 or from a separate motor which may be carried on the bed 12 of the tractor, as represented in the drawings by the coupling, 58. The coupling 58 may carry a clutch member, 60, engageable with a cooperating clutch member on the projecting end, 62, of the shaft 26. The coupling 58 may also drive, as by a second clutch member, 64, a shaft, 66, operatively connected to any requisite mechanism associated with the oil heater 52, such as a blower, or the like.

In operation, the shaft driving motor is started and the clutches 6t) and 64 thrown into connection with its coupling 58. At the same time, or prior thereto, the heat supply means, such as oil heater 52, is likewise put into operation. The first snow introduced into the tank is advanced by the screw 32 to meet the snow-melting heating means, such as hot air, at the forward end of the tank. This first snow is melted by direct contact with the heating means and the resulting water is warmed by such heating means, to itself become snow-melting means. Further advancing snow forms a slush with the heated water from the first melted snow and such slush is thoroughly beaten and intimately mixed with such heated water and additional heated air by the heaters 34, to accelerate the melting of the slush. When the water from the melted snow within the tank reaches the level of the outlet opening 48, it is discharged therethrough and the water level within the tank is thereafter maintained substantially constant throughout the remainder of the operation.

The temperature of the melted snow in the tank 10 which forms, with the heated air, a melting medium for additional snow mixed with it, may be maintained at the desired levels by automatic control of the heating unit 52, in a manner well known in the art, or by manual adjustment of the heating unit. The rate of snow input may be likewise controlled, to avoid overchilling of the melting medium, by adjusting the capacity or rate of operation of the snow removal apparatus connected to the conveyor 22 or by shutting the snow removal apparatus off at intervals. By the control of the above two factors, the effectiveness of the apparatus for snow disposal may be kept substantially constant.

This completes the description of the apparatus of the present invention and the method of its operation. It will be readily apparent that, because the snow-melting operation is carried out in a substantially closed chamber, there will be a minimum loss of thermal energy except that required for snow melting, so that the apparatus is highly economical in use of thermal energy and of the means which supplied it, either in the form of oil, gas, steam or electricity.

It will also be apparent that, because the apparatus thoroughly mixes the snow advanced to be melted with the snow already melted and the resulting heated liquid, the operation of snow melting is accelerated and the apparatus will be able to dispose of a relatively greater amount of snow in lesser time and with the use of less thermal energy than the size of the apparatus would normally indicate. Such characteristics of the apparatus 4 ead to maximum efiiciency at relatively low cost of operation.

It will be additionally apparent that the apparatus of the present invention is of relatively simple and sturdy construction, making it economical to produce and to maintain.

It will be further apparent that numerous variations and modifications may be made in the snow disposal apparatus of the invention, in accordance with the principles of the invention hereinabove set forth, and without any inventive ingenuity. I desire, therefore, to be protected for any and all such variations and modifications that may be made within the spirit of the present invention and the scope of the claims hereto appended.

What I claim is:

1. Snow disposal apparatus, comprising a horizontally elongated tank, defining an enclosed chamber, means at one end of said tank for admitting heated gasses under pressure, snow inlet means at the top of said tank at the other end thereof, outlet means at said other end of said tank adjacent the top thereof, means within said tank for advancing snow from said other end to said one end thereof, and agitating means at said one end of said tank for intermingling snow and molten snow and said heated gasses with one another.

2. The snow disposal apparatus of claim 1, wherein said tank includes opposed end walls, and wherein said agitating means comprise a shaft disposed within said tank, lengthwise thereof, means supporting said shaft for rotation including at least one of said end walls wherethrough said shaft projects, a plurality of spaced baffle plates supported in the upper portion of said tank at said one end thereof in transverse relation thereto, and spaced beater blades radially mounted on said shaft at said one tank end arranged to extend between and overlap said bafile plates.

3. The snow disposal apparatus of claim 2, wherein said snow advancing means comprise a spiral blade secured on said shaft at said other end of said tank.

4. The snow disposal apparatus of claim 2, wherein passages are provided within said tank for the circulation of gaseous material therewithin from said one end to said outlet, said passages disposed above the lower edge battle plates.

5. The snow disposal apparatus of claim 2, wherein an opening is formed in said tank at the bottom of one end thereof for removal of solid material therefrom, and a closure is provided for said opening.

6. Snow disposal apparatus, comprising the combination of a source of heated gasses under pressure and a horizontally elongated tank defining an enclosed chamber, means at one end of said tank at the top thereof for admitting gasses from said source, means connecting said gas admitting means with said source, snow inlet means at the top of said tank at the other end thereof, outlet means at said other end of said tank adjacent the top thereof, means within said tank for advancing snow from said other end to said one end thereof, and agitating means at said one end of said tank for intermingling snow, molten snow and said heated gasses with one another.

7. The snow disposal apparatus of claim 6, wherein said source of heated gasses under pressure and said elongated tank are co-mounted on a vehicle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 557,163 Springfels Mar. 31, 1896 663,718 Beatty Dec. 11, 1900 950,895 Cuntz Mar. 1, 1910 1,117,985 Denemark Nov. 24, 1914 1,564,901 Scroggins Dec. 8, 1925 1,572,414 Wilbert Feb. 9, 1926 2,991,784 Canzano July 11, 1961 

1. SNOW DISPOSAL APPARATUS, COMPRISING A HORIZONTALLY ELONGATED TANK, DEFINING AN ENCLOSED CHAMBER, MEANS AT ONE END OF SAID TANK FOR ADMITTING HEATED GASSES UNDER PRESSURE, SNOW INLET MEANS AT THE TOP OF SAID TANK AT THE OTHER END THEREOF, OUTLET MEANS AT SAID OTHER END OF SAID TANK ADJACENT THE TOP THEREOF, MEANS WITHIN SAID TANK FOR ADVANCING SNOW FROM SAID OTHER END TO SAID ONE END THEREOF, AND AGITATING MEANS AT SAID ONE END OF SAID TANK FOR INTERMINGLING SNOW AND MOLTEN SNOW AND SAID HEATED GASSES WITH ONE ANOTHER. 